imhotep
New Member
Words can't express how thankful I am for this free forum and the people that dedicate their time and money to make it what it is. As a new breeder I'm in a constant struggle when it comes to taking advice and trusting opinions. With that said, let's get to the heart of the matter.
I've spent countless late-nights reading threads in the last year. Mainly seeking "experienced" second opinions before taking any action with my panthers. My primary source of info is a handful of books written on chameleons with a specific focus on panthers (Petr Necas, G.W. Ferguson, Francois Le Berre, etc.). The field work documented in these books are essential to understanding chameleons in their natural environment. Not to ignore the abundance of info contained within them (far exceeding my professional education); but these books are still not the definitive guide to chameleon care.
Quite a few people posting advice for others share the opinion that "for every method and opinion in the forums, there's an opposing (accredited) opinion". This statement implies that there is no right/wrong method and that there is a great deal of luck/chance involved. Excluding the beyond-technical topics of processing vitamin A or things of that nature, this opinion couldn't be further from the truth. This site has moderators, vets, senior members, etc. all working together to provide effective resolutions for ALL threads. Almost daily they encounter a rookies “HELP !!!” thread, that usually contains little to no (pertinent) information, and simply request that the “Ask for help form” be filled out. When the issue is urgent and the person posting is non-responsive. Many members will give their educated guess as help, in spite the devil being in the details, because they genuinely care about YOUR chams (perhaps more then you). IMO these instances comprise a majority of the contradicting posts one might see amongst experienced members. Beyond these circumstantial instances most experienced members widely agree on the best practices for chameleon care.
You may be wondering the overall point to this post by now and I don’t want to get lost in the different opinions I’ve formed about this site. Simply stating “people need to be careful when giving advice” doesn’t convey the severity of what might happen. On this forum the consequences include DEATH. This thread pertains specifically to anyone posting advice that they themselves haven’t proven to be successful. If this sounds like it might be you. Please resist helping people till you KNOW !
The experts on cham forums have a true heart for herps and will do their best to help answer your questions. Sadly a lot of these people, with there vast knowledge, spend too much time answering basic questions. Several members, myself included, have hopes of making this site the one-stop shop for all things chameleon. At least ounce a week I read posts from members that have incredible ideas to make this site more comprehensive, easier to use, and structured to better self-educate. These people have the ability and determination to make these goals a reality. These people have done more then their share of the work and I'm one of many that have benefitted. It’s time to give back to this site so it can ascend to the levels envisioned by the experts.
What I’ve done to be a less of a strain:
Do your own homework. It’s very easy to click “new thread”, blurt a question out, and then walk away. Typing that question into the “search” area is just as easy and may yield answers immediately. Most likely you’ll have more questions for each answer you get and finding the info yourself will empower you.
Know the minimum. Often people don’t ask enough questions before they purchase. There are many things that only the breeder of the chameleon knows. In the event that you never cross paths again that info is lost. I’ll continue these examples in another thread...
Most Importantly !!! Remember that your chameleon needs you to be their expert. Being negligent or forgetful could be a one-time mistake for a chameleon and it’s owner
I've spent countless late-nights reading threads in the last year. Mainly seeking "experienced" second opinions before taking any action with my panthers. My primary source of info is a handful of books written on chameleons with a specific focus on panthers (Petr Necas, G.W. Ferguson, Francois Le Berre, etc.). The field work documented in these books are essential to understanding chameleons in their natural environment. Not to ignore the abundance of info contained within them (far exceeding my professional education); but these books are still not the definitive guide to chameleon care.
Quite a few people posting advice for others share the opinion that "for every method and opinion in the forums, there's an opposing (accredited) opinion". This statement implies that there is no right/wrong method and that there is a great deal of luck/chance involved. Excluding the beyond-technical topics of processing vitamin A or things of that nature, this opinion couldn't be further from the truth. This site has moderators, vets, senior members, etc. all working together to provide effective resolutions for ALL threads. Almost daily they encounter a rookies “HELP !!!” thread, that usually contains little to no (pertinent) information, and simply request that the “Ask for help form” be filled out. When the issue is urgent and the person posting is non-responsive. Many members will give their educated guess as help, in spite the devil being in the details, because they genuinely care about YOUR chams (perhaps more then you). IMO these instances comprise a majority of the contradicting posts one might see amongst experienced members. Beyond these circumstantial instances most experienced members widely agree on the best practices for chameleon care.
You may be wondering the overall point to this post by now and I don’t want to get lost in the different opinions I’ve formed about this site. Simply stating “people need to be careful when giving advice” doesn’t convey the severity of what might happen. On this forum the consequences include DEATH. This thread pertains specifically to anyone posting advice that they themselves haven’t proven to be successful. If this sounds like it might be you. Please resist helping people till you KNOW !
The experts on cham forums have a true heart for herps and will do their best to help answer your questions. Sadly a lot of these people, with there vast knowledge, spend too much time answering basic questions. Several members, myself included, have hopes of making this site the one-stop shop for all things chameleon. At least ounce a week I read posts from members that have incredible ideas to make this site more comprehensive, easier to use, and structured to better self-educate. These people have the ability and determination to make these goals a reality. These people have done more then their share of the work and I'm one of many that have benefitted. It’s time to give back to this site so it can ascend to the levels envisioned by the experts.
What I’ve done to be a less of a strain:
Do your own homework. It’s very easy to click “new thread”, blurt a question out, and then walk away. Typing that question into the “search” area is just as easy and may yield answers immediately. Most likely you’ll have more questions for each answer you get and finding the info yourself will empower you.
Know the minimum. Often people don’t ask enough questions before they purchase. There are many things that only the breeder of the chameleon knows. In the event that you never cross paths again that info is lost. I’ll continue these examples in another thread...
Most Importantly !!! Remember that your chameleon needs you to be their expert. Being negligent or forgetful could be a one-time mistake for a chameleon and it’s owner
